Applying for Probate

What do I do When Someone Dies?

Google Rating
5.0
Based on 202 reviews
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The loss of a friend or loved one can be a very stressful time with many people needing to be notified in the first few days.

In addition to the immediate tasks you need to attend to, such as arranging the funeral, there is a lot of paperwork to be dealt with and official documents which need to be completed over the next few weeks.

Let Us help

One of the duties you may have to undertake is applying for Probate. This can often be a complex and extremely time consuming process and needs attending to at a time when you may not feel able to perform this task.

Our preferred partner are experts in dealing with all aspects of Probate.

Their specialist Probate Team have a sympathetic and patient approach when dealing with bereaved relatives and will happily arrange a visit to discuss your requirements, in the comfort of your own home.

Our partners’ online system allows you to see the letters and documentation sent and received by the Probate team at any time and so, provides you with both up to date information and total transparency in all dealings.

Our partner provides a Fixed Fee Probate Service, which unlike Solicitors and many other Legal companies, usually charge an hourly rate, (typically from around £250 to £300 per hour), which is open ended, in addition to charging a fixed percentage of the gross estate value!!

This could be a considerable saving on the fees you would typically need to pay a High Street Bank or Solicitor

Some of our Google Reviews

Frog Financial Management
5.0
Based on 202 reviews
See all reviewsWrite a review
Couldn't be happier with the service from Frog, they made an incredibly stressful time in me buying my first property feel much more manageable and were always available to talk through any queries I had. Would highly recommend ☺️
Ian
Ian
1755527927
Craig is an excellent advisor, we had relatively unusual requirements for 2 mortgages and he spent a lot of time explaining our potential options so we would end up with the best fit for us.Ruth was also fantastic at following things up for us and keeping us informed of how applications were progressing.Would definitely recommend Frog to anyone looking for a mortgage or insurance.
Tim Moult
Tim Moult
1754857993
Gracias a Danni West ( Frog Financial Management ), pude asegurar mi casa en Inglaterra pues, Danni, muy cortés y profesionalmente, me puso en contacto con una compañía de seguros inmobiliarios que, se interesará a ofrecerme un seguro ya que, Yo vivo en España por lo tanto, soy un propietario ausente y según parece esto es un impedimento para muchas aseguradoras.Estoy muy agradecido con Danni por su invaluable ayuda, ha sido una gran experiencia.
mario alvarez botero
mario alvarez botero
1754595807
Advise etc on our finances and mortgage suggestions
Ruth Corner
Ruth Corner
1754578680
Found the service to be extremely helpful and efficient in dealing with my property portfolio. I've been with them many years and I'm always satisfied with their mortgage quotes
Rendell Willett
Rendell Willett
1754399682
Frog has provided a great service to me and my partner as we arranged our first mortgage.As FTB, it is a daunting process, with a lot of questions from us on the hows, whens, and whats. Greg made this less so, answering all questions clearly, and helping us to understand things. Not only this, Frog helped us to find the best rate available to us.Lastly, Greg & Danni helped us to understand which personal insurance policies were best for us, taking the time to explain in layman's terms how each one could benefit us (or not), depending on our needs.All in all, Greg & Danni have been a valuable part of our mortgage journey, and I would not hesitate to work with them again in the future.
James Devine
James Devine
1754387178
Greg and team were incredibly helpful in guiding us through the process of securing our first mortgage at the best possible rate. Everyone we interacted with at Frog Financial was friendly and always available to support and answer any questions we had - we are first time buyers so their advice and expertise was much appreciated! Greg and Danni also gave us all the information we needed to choose the right options for life insurance and income protection that is tailored to our needs. We couldn't be happier with our experience and would definitely recommend their services.
Tia Mirshahi
Tia Mirshahi
1754218942
Had a great experience with Frog with our recent remortgaging after being recommended to them by Frosts in Amersham.Greg was extremely knowledgable and made a daunting process significantly easier - he was friendly, extremely clear and answered any questions or concerns we had throughout the entire process.Greg really listened to our circumstances and it was clear he wanted an outcome for us that fit our needs, there was never any sense of trying to upsell or push us towards something that did not fit our needs and we reached an outcome we were extremely happy with.Greg’s approach was extremely fair and it was clear that Frog Financial is far more interested in building a lasting relationship ship with their clients. I would not hesitate to approach Greg and Frog Financial again and will absolutely be using their services again when we come to our next application!
Joe and Katherine O'Donnell
Joe and Katherine O'Donnell
1753865940
Grey was the ABSOLUTE BEST!!!!! He was so fun, let us have aux and made us feel so comfortable and showed us around the area and gave his favorite recommendations!! Will be calling him all week!
Sage Kershaw
Sage Kershaw
1753583642
Gray was THE BEST driver and made sure that our ride was safe and fun!!!
Clare Marshall
Clare Marshall
1753583505
Frog Financial Management have been excellent throughout the process. Craig and Ruth provided clear advice, quick communication, and a very professional service from start to finish. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and they made everything straightforward and stress-free.Would highly recommend to anyone looking for trustworthy and efficient financial advice.
Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy
1751274702
Greg and the team at Frog were brilliant in helping us prepare our finances and then arrange the porting of our mortgage for our recent house move. Greg provided consistent support and tailored advice whenever needed, and made the mortgage process as stress free as possible. The Frog team also helped us with setting up some better life protection for ourselves and our kids. We would highly recommend Greg and the team at Frog to anyone looking for mortgage specific or broader financial advice.
Chloe Taylor
Chloe Taylor
1746859208
As a first-time buyer, I had a lot of questions—and Greg was absolutely brilliant at answering every single one with patience and clarity. He was always super responsive and made the whole mortgage process feel much less overwhelming. Charley was also fantastic, helping me sort out buildings insurance quickly and efficiently while walking me through all the details. Danni took the time to explain all the insurance options thoroughly and in a way that made sense. Everyone I dealt with was friendly, knowledgeable, and incredibly supportive. I can’t recommend them highly enough!
Samah Hussain
Samah Hussain
1745263797
We were recommended Frog Financial by some friends who had recently bought their first house, and we couldn't be happier! Greg was amazing from start to finish, keeping us informed throughout the process and always on hand to answer any questions we had. Charley also helped us find the right Buildings & Contents insurance for us, and had everything sorted & ready for exchange. We'll definitely be recommending the Frog team to any friends buying their first place!
Megan Griffin
Megan Griffin
1744626325
Frog were incredibly helpful when I approached them for a mortgage recommendation. Craig really took the time to understand what I needed and was very supportive throughout the process. Mortgages and the jargon around them can seem very overwhelming, especially to a first time buyer, but Frog made it a lot less stressful. Would definitely recommend!
Carla van der Sluijs
Carla van der Sluijs
1743416068
I can’t recommend Charley highly enough! From the very start, she made the process of getting my building and contents insurance seamless. She provided me with a list of options, sent detailed and informative emails, and was incredibly flexible, kind, and patient throughout.The whole experience has been fantastic, professional, efficient, and stress-free. The member portal is another great addition, making everything even more accessible and straightforward.I was so impressed that I even told my solicitor to recommend Charley to her clients. If you’re looking for someone who truly goes above and beyond, Charley is the one to trust. 100% recommend!
Tannaz Rastegar
Tannaz Rastegar
1742216810
I went to Frog for mortgage advise on buying a second property. Initially Greg provided me with various options available to me and spent the time explaining the pros and cons of each. This made choosing the right option very easy, feeling confident with my choice. Likewise, Charley was a great help with finding me the right insurance for my new property and landlords insurance.
Denis Bywaters
Denis Bywaters
1742048349
Thoroughly professional and superbly efficient service. Moving home is stressful enough. My buildings insurance was at least one thing I did not have to worry about.
Se7en Group
Se7en Group
1741021620
I cannot recommend Frog enough. They have been so helpful and supportive.They have helped us to buy our first home and they were a huge helping hand when we had no idea where to start.Thank you so much for making the house buying process almost completely stress free.
sophie Stockton
sophie Stockton
1739186324
We were recommended Frog by a family friend, and they have been absolutely brilliant through the whole house buying process. As first time buyers, the whole team has been so supportive always answering phone call and emails. Greg was so supportive when it came to our mortgage inquiries, very helpful and personable. Charley and Danni have been so helpful with insurances and Will writing, and we look forward to using them again in the future.
Sammy Isaacs-Johnson
Sammy Isaacs-Johnson
1739185463
Frog Financial are definitely well worth a 5 star review, Greg and the team are fast, efficient and professional and always seem to put the customer first.
Nick Jones
Nick Jones
1738007477
Frog financial management services provided us excellent help during purchase of our sweet first home in UK. Greg our advisor was very helpful, soft spoken person. Despite of my limited visa, Greg helped us to get mortgage with best available rate in the market.Highly recommended
Mukesh Singh
Mukesh Singh
1737024771
I couldn’t recommend Frog Management more. Greg made the mortgage application process really easy for my boyfriend and I who were first time buyers. I’d first been in touch with Greg a year prior when we started our property search and once our offer was accepted I got straight back in contact with Greg who was prompt to get everything moving for us. I would highly recommend Frog Management!
Danielle Louise
Danielle Louise
1735329775
The team at Frog have been fantastic throughout the entire process. Providing great advice and having a proactive approach, I can't recommend them enough!
Aaron
Aaron
1734177339
The whole team at Frog were outstanding for us. Greg was our contact for our Mortgage application and he couldn't have been more helpful. He was always available and happy to help with anything, very knowledgeable and we really felt like he wanted the best for us. Charley and Danni also assisted us with insurance cover and they were very helpful and knowledgeable when it came to understanding the policies. They regularly checked in to see if they could help with the whole process, which was greatly appreciated. All the team made the house moving process that bit less stressful and are thoroughly recommended.
Sam E
Sam E
1734009636
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Read through our short guide to the Grant of Probate

When someone dies, it can be a very difficult and confusing time and you cannot be expected to do everything right away.

In the first five days, it is important that you do the following:

  • Notify the deceased’s family Doctor.
  • Contact a Funeral Director to commence funeral arrangements (you will need to check any Will for any special requests or Pre-Paid Funeral arrangements which may have already been made).
  • Register the death at The Registry Office.
  • Advise any departments who may have been making payments to the deceased, such as tax credits, benefits, pensions, etc.

As soon as possible you should:

  • Contact the Executors of any Will to enable them to start the process of obtaining Probate.
  • If there is no Will the you should decide who will apply to sort out the deceased’s affairs and apply for Letters of Administration.

You will also need to contact relatives and people close to the deceased, for a full list of who to contact go to http://www.direct.gov.uk/ select Government Citizens and Rights – then Death and Bereavement and What to Do After a Death.

In this case one or more Executors may be named in the Will to deal with the person’s affairs after their death. The Executor applies for a ‘Grant of Probate’ from a section of the court known as the Probate Registry. The Grant is a legal document which confirms that the Executor has the authority to deal with the deceased person’s assets (property, money and possessions). They can use it to show they have the right to access funds, sort out finances, and collect and share out the deceased person’s assets as set out in the Will.

If there is no Will, a close relative of the deceased can apply to the Probate Registry to deal with the estate. In this case, they apply for a ‘Grant of Letters of Administration’. If the Grant is given, they are known as ‘Administrators’ of the Estate. Like the Grant of Probate, the Grant of Letters of Administration is a legal document which confirms the Administrator’s authority to deal with the deceased person’s assets.

If someone dies without making a Will, they are said to have died ‘Intestate’. If this happens, the law sets out who should deal with the deceased’s affairs and who should inherit their estate (property, personal possessions and money). This information covers England and Wales only.

When someone dies without leaving a Will, dealing with their estate can be complicated. It can also take a long time; months, or even years in some very complex cases.

Usually a close relative like a spouse, child or parent will have the legal right to sort out the estate of the person who has died.

In order to be able to administer someone’s estate, you normally need to apply to the Probate Registry for a ‘Grant of Letters of Administration’.

On receipt of the Grant you become the ‘Administrator’ of the Estate. The Grant provides proof to banks, building societies and other organisations that you have authority to access and distribute funds that were held in the deceased’s name. The overall process is often referred to as ‘obtaining probate’, though technically, this term applies where there was a Will.

These Grants appoint people known as ‘Personal Representatives’ to administer the deceased person’s estate.

A Grant is almost always needed when the person who dies leaves one or more of the following:

  • £5,000.
  • Stocks or shares.
  • Certain insurance policies.
  • Property or land held in their own name or as ‘Tenants in Common’.

In most cases above, the bank or relevant institution will need to see the Grant before transferring control of the Assets. However, if the estate is small, some organisations, such as insurance companies and building societies, may release the money to you at their discretion.

If the deceased’s estate is below £5,000, and doesn’t contain any land, property or shares, then it may be possible to deal with it without obtaining a Grant. Also, a Grant might not be needed if the whole of the estate is held in joint names and passes automatically to the surviving joint owner.

In some cases, for example, where the person who benefits is a child, the law states that more than one person must act as the Administrator.

To establish whether the Assets can be obtained without a Grant, the Executor or Administrator would need to write to each institution, informing them of the death and enclosing a photocopy of the death certificate (and Will if there is one).

The personal representative won’t be granted Probate until some or all of any Inheritance Tax that is due on the estate has been paid.

Applies to England and Wales.

If the person who died lived in Scotland, you must apply for a ‘Grant of Confirmation’.

To discuss how we can support your Probate needs
PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH US TODAY